The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Solid Waste Management Commission said they would take drastic steps to compel the country’s 1,500 local government units to comply with Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Environment Assistant Secretary Gerardo Calderon, NSWMC executive director, said they plan to come up with a public listing of LGUs that have not yet made any steps to comply with the law.

In coming up with a public listing of LGUs with "low compliance", the NSWMC chief said the DENR simply wants to compel the LGUs to avail of the national government's technical assistance in closing down existing open dumps and to establish generally acceptable facilities.

Calderon made the announcement even as he cited LGUs in Luzon where the Zero Basura Caravan made its first region hopping as part of an education and information campaign on the need to comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

The Zero Basura Caravan is a project of the DENR, the NSWMC, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, the Liga ng Barangay and the League of Cities.

LMP national president Ramon N. Guico said the caravan aims to assist towns in drawing up measures, plans and strategies insofar as complying with RA 9003 is concerned. The caravan has so far gone to five regions in Luzon.

Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said that they would soon file administrative charges against mayors of LGUs not in compliance with RA 9003. The DENR chief likewise required barangay units to put up materials recovery facilities for purposes of segregation of garbage.